While snow covered roads always suck, thy're even harder to take when you have a new to you bike and you can't ride it...now the proud owner of the Orange Dragon, as my 6 year old named it.

I'm dying to ride it, and the main roads look fine with this warm (well...) spell, but I have to get through several blocks of the packed snow in my area to get to them. I tried and failed miserably today - made it one slightly downhill block and then spent 10 minutes spinning the rear trying to get back to my garage. So for the snow tire experts here, I tried this with a Pirelli Scorpion on the back and not a chance - but I do have a new TKC 80 for it; does anyone have experience with this tire in the snow? Would it be worth swapping - I don't expect to be able to really ride on the snow, I just have to make it a few blocks to the main road. I was kinda surprised actually, I've seen several people posting shots of the same bike on snowy roads, but I had absolutely zero forward movement. The MT90 still has half the tread, I thought it would at least move. Thanks.

I have ridden short stretches of ice / snow covered roads but the temperature of the tires was high from riding for hours before I hit the snow/ ice. I have experience with cold rubber on ice and it never works well regardless of tread design (short of winter tires, which are not available for bikes). If it is just a very short stretch to get to the bare roads (Like driveway length) you could lay down an old piece of carpet (backing side up) and let it freeze onto the ice.Then just walk it across the carpet to the road. If you are talking a couple of blocks you will need to be a bit more creative. The TKCs won't make that much difference unless you are riding in fresh, heavy, wet snow (vs what you have on).

My Orange Dragon is staying put until the snow, ice and SALT is off the roads.

Thanks for the tips - it actually was some of your shots that had me thinking it should be able to make it; from the pictures your rear tire looks a bit more aggressive than the MT90. But I didn't consider the warm tire aspect. And yeah, I'm going to keep the bike cleaned of salt, it's been really well looked after and I want to maintain that. I just haven't even ridden it once yet!

I thought about the sidewalk, but I live around such narcs I'm sure they'd call 911...I think some of them have Bylaw Services on speed dial...!

I'm sure you will (get to ride with the Orange Dragons). I have been busy plotting out this coming summers "Big Trip". I am planning on a 90 % off-road trip through Montana, Idaho and into Wyoming along the Continental Divide, then looping back via the back roads of Idaho, into Oregon's northeast and into the Kooteneys. It will be late July and early August, so keep it in mind. I will send you the tracks once I have finished creating them. The first one is done on Dualsport maps( Elk City to Salmon to Clark Canyon MT). I am using Big Dogs CDT track to go from Eureka MT down to Yellowstone to start.

Get your gas ready for the Rawlin's section. I think we clocked it at 380 KM of emptyness crossing the Great Basin.

Nice bike. From what you said you were looking for that looks perfect. Maybe you can try it out at the wildrose mx park after a few days of warm weather.

Thanks, I'm totally psyched about it. I did finally get the XRR running well on gravel, tuning the suspension helped a lot (it was way too stiff), but the biggest improvement was lowering the air pressure in the tires. Night and day. We'll see how the KTM compares off-road, but so far I'm thinking it might not be too bad. When I was out there like an idiot trying to ride it in the snow I was obviously paranoid about dropping it first time out, but after a few minutes of getting more and more frustrated with the rear tire spinning all the time I found that even with zero traction it was nicely balanced and didn't feel as heavy as I thought it would. I pulled off the MT90 last night and put on the TKC just for good measure - damn, what's with breaking the bead on the Scorpions? I had to put the XRR's side stand on the tire wall and lift the whole bike onto it to get it off the rim!

Anyway the MX park sounds like an excellent idea, I still haven't been. Drop me a msg if you ever head out there, sounds like a perfect place to practice.

I'm sure you will (get to ride with the Orange Dragons). I have been busy plotting out this coming summers "Big Trip". I am planning on a 90 % off-road trip through Montana, Idaho and into Wyoming along the Continental Divide, then looping back via the back roads of Idaho, into Oregon's northeast and into the Kooteneys. It will be late July and early August, so keep it in mind. I will send you the tracks once I have finished creating them. The first one is done on Dualsport maps( Elk City to Salmon to Clark Canyon MT). I am using Big Dogs CDT track to go from Eureka MT down to Yellowstone to start.

Sounds like an awesome trip - how many days were you thinking? At any rate we should definite get out there when the weather is good, I'd like to see how you have your bike set up. I need to decide on a system for extra fuel, relocating the fender, mods to do etc

Edit - I was looking at some old KTM posts here and just noticed you called your bike the Orange Dragon long before we came up with it! We should get some decals made up or something...!

I was there once for the blackfoot offroad training and it was a pretty neat place. You should be able to call for conditions.

Phone: 403.240.4025
(24 hrs Information Hotline)
Track: 403.258.1883

I always wanted to go back and maybe a few days into a chinook would be good. I will for sure PM you if I plan to go. Will probably post up here too. Always more fun when there are people to help me get my bike back up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by XSoCal

Thanks, I'm totally psyched about it. I did finally get the XRR running well on gravel, tuning the suspension helped a lot (it was way too stiff), but the biggest improvement was lowering the air pressure in the tires. Night and day. We'll see how the KTM compares off-road, but so far I'm thinking it might not be too bad. When I was out there like an idiot trying to ride it in the snow I was obviously paranoid about dropping it first time out, but after a few minutes of getting more and more frustrated with the rear tire spinning all the time I found that even with zero traction it was nicely balanced and didn't feel as heavy as I thought it would. I pulled off the MT90 last night and put on the TKC just for good measure - damn, what's with breaking the bead on the Scorpions? I had to put the XRR's side stand on the tire wall and lift the whole bike onto it to get it off the rim!

Anyway the MX park sounds like an excellent idea, I still haven't been. Drop me a msg if you ever head out there, sounds like a perfect place to practice.

I'm sure you will (get to ride with the Orange Dragons). I have been busy plotting out this coming summers "Big Trip". I am planning on a 90 % off-road trip through Montana, Idaho and into Wyoming along the Continental Divide, then looping back via the back roads of Idaho, into Oregon's northeast and into the Kooteneys. It will be late July and early August, so keep it in mind. I will send you the tracks once I have finished creating them. The first one is done on Dualsport maps( Elk City to Salmon to Clark Canyon MT). I am using Big Dogs CDT track to go from Eureka MT down to Yellowstone to start.

The "Big Trip" sounds awesome but would be harder to find time for. Do you have a "medium trip" planned? I am going to look on dual sport maps right now.

Count me in for at least the first week (assuming your acceptance criteria are low enough to include someone like me).

My wife and I have been discussing our upcoming summer plans. She'll be at a fly-in moutaineering camp with the Alpine Club of Canada around the same time so I'm hoping your ride and her camp coincide.

Ian

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lycan1

I am planning the trip so there are "jumping off" points along the way. This way other riders that are interested in some, but not all (or have time constraints) can ride along for part of it. I will be doing 2 weeks either at the end of July, or last week of July first week of August.

I still plan a week in September to do the BCBATR 2013. and will be out every week end. Maybe a long weekend trip in the Kooteneys. There is lots to ride there.

In case anyone is was thinking about heading out tomorrow, 40 north from 1a was clear and dry all the way past the first staging area, up to about where that ATV Adventure place is. After that the gravel started turning into sheets of hard packed snow and then to ice, still drivable but not so much fun. But up until then it was really nice.